The periodic postings of a tech lovin', former communications maven - now customer service maven - wife, mom and writer.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Pimp my office and rock my world

As part of my promotion, I'm moving into an office. "Move" seems an overstatement: it's 9 steps from my current cubicle. I consider my workspace to be wherever my computer is, whether it's at home, outside, in a cube or within four walls.

While having four walls and a door is nice, it means I actually have to consider aesthetics of the space, something that's not as much of an issue in a cube. I am no design guru. If it were up to me, furniture would only be moved for vacuuming, then moved back to its original spot. My husband is the antithesis of that approach. About every other month, I come home to find the living and dining room furniture completely rearranged.

"It needed a change," he'll say. As if the ottomon tripped him on his way on and pleaded, "Dude! Enough. If I have to look at the end table by the couch one more day, I can't be held responsible for what happens!"

J. was hoping that the woman he married would bring a breezy, effortlessly elegant approach to interior design to the family home. Instead he got me, a woman who had temporary stick on accordion paper window shades in a previous home office for two years. We took them down when we moved. As I remind him, I got other skills to pay the bills.

So in addition to learning my new job and deliverables, I'm trying to decide the best configuration for my new space, which at one time was inhabited by a 6' 6" former co-worker. Thus, the desks are up on eight inch risers, making me look like a kid at the grownup table for Thanksgiving, even with the chair raised as high as possible. Even if it went higher, my feet would then be dangling, which you know, inspires about as much confidence in staff and co-workers as coming to the office in pigtails and OshKosh overalls.

Vern Yip: design super star

An office manager is checking on whether the risers come off, but in the meantime, I'm slowly moving files and other items into a space that for now looks like a TSA interrogation room. Clearly, some office pimpin' is needed. I so wish Vern Yip would come do it. And my house. I love his crisp, modern, uncluttered design approach with great pops of color.

At the very least, I'm going to get a green plant for the space. Maybe bamboo: those always seem hearty and low-maintenance. According to Healthy and Green Living, we should strive to bring the outdoors in as "one way to begin bonding with life." One suggested example?

* Stones, rocks, pebbles. Placed in bowls or in a ring around a vase, heaped in a small cairn or put singly in a special place of honor, the infinite variety and solid beauty of stones add grounding and stability to our homes.

I may try that, but it turns out Ava has been doing this on her own in our carport using rocks from our driveway. It looks as if she's buried a small animal next to our door and stacked rocks up to keep the miniature scavengers away. When I ask her why, she simply says, "Because I like them." I guess you bond with life easily when you're still rather new to it.